So Si Bon Chases Back-To-Back Glory

So Si Bon was once the maligned gelding who didn’t win a race for 831 days but now he will be looking for his second victory in a week when he steps out in Saturday’s Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m).

The seven-year-old scored a narrow victory last weekend in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m) and co-trainer Ben Hayes is confident he’s drawn well to give him every chance to win again in Saturday’s $500,000 feature.

“I hope he can, it would be the biggest thrill ever if he can,” Hayes said.

“He’s really come through the race really well, we’re very happy with him, I think barrier 1 for him is a great barrier.

“He’s a horse that I always say it we need to ride for luck and kind of trick him to the line and I think if he gets the right runs he’ll be travelling well and he’ll be hopefully finishing in the finish, he doesn’t often run a bad race.

“I think from barrier 1 he’ll be able to get that cover and he’ll be travelling into the bend and we’ll just need a bit of luck and if he gets it, he loves going in between horses.

“I don’t think the big weight will matter too much and he’ll hit the line well he’s a fit horse.”

The in-form Lindsay Park stable has three runners in the Ballarat Cup, with Furrion and dual G1 winner Harlem also set to start.

Harlem, one of only two G1 winners in the field, comes into the race after a fifth behind Arcadia Queen in the G1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m), following an impressive second placing in the G3 Coongy over the same distance.

“I really think Harlem is going really well and he’s been racing well all spring and hopefully it’s his time,” Hayes added.

“We’ve been really happy with him all spring, I think he’s really put up his runs, he ran really well in the Coongy.

“From that wide draw we might get a similar run, we’ll just see where we land.

“I’ve never seen a healthier and happier horse, he’s really been running well all prep and I think this will be a much easier race than last start when he ran into Arcadia Queen and Fifty Stars.

“He’s  a tricky one he does like to settle in the first four and he is a horse that normally draws one or two, he’s been very lucky through his career, we’ve drawn a wide gate this time but it might not be a bad thing.

“I think So Si Bon he’ll probably be midfield, he often jumps quite well, so he’ll probably be midfield bit worse than midfield back.”

– racing.com

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